A downtown businessman announced Monday he will seek a seat on the Dawsonville City Council in the November election.

Chris Gaines, 34, has lived in Dawsonville for about 10 years and says he hopes to bring fresh ideas to the council.

“I live here, my business is here and I am raising my family here. I am invested in this community and want to ensure its vitality for the future,” Gaines said. “I sincerely care about the citizens of Dawsonville and want to serve with strong leadership and open communication.”

Gaines said he recognizes Dawsonville has changed and will continue to prosper with the right leadership in place.

“I want to be able to make a positive impact and a positive influence on the way Dawsonville grows,” he said. “I want to help shape the city so that it stays a viable place for us to live and work and play.”

Gaines currently serves as chairman of the Dawsonville Downtown Development Authority. His goal as chair has been to identify and implement marketing from a tourism standpoint.

“We have so many people that are driving past our front door to go to places like the kangaroo farm or Burt’s pumpkins, but they’re not stopping,” Gaines said. “It’s really about capturing those people that are driving through and how we can get them to stop and spend their dollars in downtown Dawsonville.”

A graduate of North Georgia College & State University with a bachelor’s in business management, Gaines opened Allstate Insurance Agency in Dawsonville in 2008.

He is also a 2006 graduate of Leadership Dawson and serves on numerous community boards including United Way, Habitat for Humanity and Boy Scouts. 

Gaines and his wife, Jessica, have a young son, Carson. The couple attends First Baptist Church of Dawsonville.

The Nov. 8 election will feature two seats on the council. The election is citywide, with the seats going to the top two vote-getters.

The ballot will also feature a separate contest for mayor. All the incumbents have said they would seek re-election.